Jeering crowd erupts as Trump reads military oath at NFL game

LANDOVER, MARYLAMD: President Donald Trump was met with a torrent of boos from fans at an NFL football game in Landover, Maryland on Sunday, November 9, as he presided over a military swearing-in ceremony.

The intense reaction was captured live on Fox News as Trump addressed the packed stadium crowd.

Crowd’s cold reception for Donald Trump caught on camera

During the halftime ceremony at a stadium in Landover, Maryland, President Trump began reading the US Armed Forces Oath of Enlistment. 

Despite the solemn nature of the event, with Trump reciting, “I, (state name of enlistee), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (So help me God),” the chorus of boos from the stands continued without pause. 

Trump notably emphasized the closing phrase, “So help me God,” as the loud jeering persisted. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stood beside him during the oath. Trump is the first sitting president to attend a regular-season NFL game since President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Donald Trump’s remarks after swearing-in ceremony

Following the ceremony, Trump told the Fox broadcast team it was an “honor” to swear in what he described as a “tremendous group of young people.” 

“We just swore in a tremendous group of young people, and that was an honor. Our recruitment’s been record-setting,” Trump said.

The overwhelmingly negative reaction he received may not be surprising given the political leanings of the region. The surrounding area is solidly Democratic — former Vice President Kamala Harris secured more than 90 percent of the vote in Washington, DC, and 62 percent in Maryland. Harris also won Virginia, though by a smaller margin.

Benny Johnson condemns crowd’s reaction

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson shared a clip of the crowd’s response on X, calling it “disrespectful.”

“Wow. Doesn’t get much more disrespectful than this,” Johnson wrote. “Fans can be heard booing President Trump during the swearing in of US military members at the Lions vs. Detroit Lions game game.”

Earlier in the day, Trump had celebrated his arrival at the stadium, praising what he described as the “greatest flyover ever” as his plane passed over during kickoff.